Hinge.



S. S. MATTHES HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

opening 11.

UNITED STATFIS PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

HINGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. MAT'rnns, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hinges that are especially adapted to be used with couches or the like to regulate and adjust the head of the couch at any inclination to the plane of the body portion.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a structure that will permit of all of the parts being made of sheet metal.

A further object of my invention is to provide means of maintaining the head of the couch or the like at any desired inclination to the plane thereof and to provide means when the head has reached its greatest height or limit of its upward movement to release the supporting means and to permit it to return to its normal position.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my device showing the position of the body portions of the hingein full lines and several positions of the movable part of the hinge in dotted lines, when the head of the couch is moved and held at an inclination to the body thereof. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my hinge with the dotted lines omitted to show more clearly the operation and construction of the hinge. Fig. 3 is an end or edge view showing relative positions of different parts of the hinge.

In the drawings, reference numerals 1 and 2 represent the body portions of the hinge upon which are formed ears 3 and 4. The hinges are pivotally secured together by a bolt 5 which passes through suitable apertures formed in the ears. The ear 3 of the portion 1, as shown in the drawing, is provided with an enlarged depending portion 6 and provided with notches or serrations 7 as shown. A finger 8 is formed on the ear 3 and the end de ends below the extremities of the notches A bar 9 is pivotally secured to the rivet or bolt 5 and is provided with a slot which is formed adjacent to the end thereof intersecting with an A pawl 12 is pivotally secured to the part 2 of the hinge by a rivet 13 and is mounted on the part 2 so as to permit the end 14 to engage with the notches 7 formed on the ear 3 of the part 1. A pin 14 is secured to the end of the pawl 12 and engages Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 533,335.

with the slot 10 of the pivoted bar 9 thereby movably connecting the pivoted bar 9 and pawl 12 together. A releasin pin 15 is secured to the enlarged part of the ear 3 of the part 1 of the hinge and is adapted to impart movement to the pivoted bar and pawl when it is desired to return the head of the couch to its normal position.

Attention is called to the fact that the part2 is oft-set from the plane of the body portion at the point indicated by reference numeral 16 to permit the ear 4 to move freely beneath the surface of the part 1 when it is attached to a couch or the like.

The pawl 12 is fulcrumed much closer to its end 14 than it is to its'end 17 which is made heavier for the purpose of permitting the pawl to drop or fall by gravity and to engage with the notches 7 when movement is imparted to the head of the couch or the like.

The operation of my hinge is as follows: Referring to Fig. 1 it will he observed that the parts 1 and 2, as shown in full lines, indicate the position of the parts of the hinge when the head of the couch to which the hinge is attached is on a plane with the body of the couch. As the head, to which the part 1 is attached, is raised, the pawl drops by gravity and the end 14 engages each of the notches 7 in succession retaining the head of the couch at any inclination to the body desired as the pin 15 moves within the slot 10.

It will be observed that the end of the tinger 8 extends down below the radius of the notched portion of the ear 3 and when it contacts with the end 14 of the pawl, it forces the pin 14 of the pawl in an upward direction on a radius until the pin 14 is forced into the opening 11 and in contact with the shoulder a which disengages the end of the pawl 14 from contact with the notches 7 thereby permitting the head of the couch to be returned to its normal position on a plane with the body of the couch. Attention is called to the fact, however, that just before the parts 1 and 2 assume the position shown in Fig. 1, in full lines, the pin 14 is in contact with the shouldered portion a of the opening 11 locking the pawl out of engagement with the notches and that the pin 15 contacts with the lower edge of the pivoted bar 9 forcing it in an upward direction on a radius and releasing the pin 14 from its contact with the shoulder a permitting it to enter and operate within the slot 10 and the pawl is again in position to engage with the notches 7.

It will be observed that the action of the hinge is automatic and requires no further manipulation upon the part of the operator than the raising or lowering of the head of the couch.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hinge composed of two parts provided with ears and pivotally connected together, one of said ears being enlarged and provided with serrated edge and projecting finger, a bar having a slot inone end pivotally connected to said ears, a pawl adapted to engage the serrated edge of the enlarged part and pivotally connected to one part of the hinge, a pin secured to the end of said pawl and adapted to engage with the slot formed in the pivoted bar as described.

2. An adjustable device for movable couch sections or the like, comprising a stationary part having an ear with its edge serrated, a movable part pivoted on said stationary part, a pawl pivoted to one of the parts hav ing a pin secured to its free end, a bar pivoted to said parts, and provided with a slot and an intersecting enlarged opening, which said pin is adapted to engage with, and means on the ear of the movable part to throw the pawl out of engagement with the serrated edge of the bar.

3. A hinge comprising two parts pivotally connected together, one movable and the other stationary, one of said parts being provided with notches and a projecting finger, a bar pivotally secured to said parts having a slot provided in its free end, a pawl pivotally mounted on one of the parts and adapted to engage said notches, a pin secured to one end of said pawl and adapted to engage with said slot, said finger being adapted to force the pin secured to the pawl, into the enlarged portion of the slot on the pivoted bar and against the shoulder locking the pawl from engagement with the serrated edge of the movable part.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES. Witnesses JOHN H. Goss, PEARL AOKERMAN. 

